The Other One
by xXSchmayXx
Summary: "Christabel Holmes now only existed as a memory - forever etched in her brother's mind." - Mycroft Holmes forever blamed himself for the loss of his younger sister. Sherlock had never forgiven his brother for ridding him of his best and only friend. When truth is finally unveiled - horrendous things are uncovered. My interpretation of Mycroft's comment in HLV.
1. Prologue

"Don't be absurd. I'm not given to outbursts of brotherly compassion. You know what happened to the other one." Mycroft stated brusquely before turning his attention to the window once more. He sighed in anguish and pressed his lips together thoughtfully - closing his eyes and remembering the person he once knew as his sister years ago.

He was the last to see her and the reason for her disappearance and ever since, he had never been the same again. Now that his little brother was going to be exiled in a potentially fatal mission, Mycroft needed to do every- New Storything in his power to stop that from happening.

After watching the detective exchange his goodbyes with John Watson before clambering into the aircraft minutes before take off, Mycroft took a deep breath and typed the text which could potentially ruin him as a person for the rest of his life. The plane was already in the sky by the time he had finished.

**Play footage. Now.**

**MH**

His stomach leaped and the Ice Man's face bore dread as he watched the edited clip of Moriarty emblazon his television screen in his car. Soon it would reach every single one in Britain and he could potentially ruin his career by fooling a nation. However he knew it would be the only way to bring Sherlock back - he would only play the video clip for a few minutes - enough time to ensure his brother's return. Then he would reveal the truth to Sherlock and hope that nobody else would find out. In the end, Mycroft would do anything to protect his little brother and would not let himself repeat the same mistake again.

Christabel Holmes now only existed as a memory - forever etched in her brother's mind.


	2. Part 1

The girl scowled and pouted as Cedric Holmes tied the sash behind her in the shape of a bow. The cream coloured frills were incredibly unflattering and she looked almost like a porcelain doll with her smooth face and pale complexion. She was kneeling on a blanket to protect herself from grass stains and daddy had laid out plates and small chairs for the younger of the guests who were visiting within the hour. She looked towards her brother in envy as William propped himself up on one elbow and examined some beetle remains that mummy had found in the loft - Then she gazed at Cedric after he was finished with her ribbon.

"Cedric why must mummy insist I wear such a dress?" The girl asked innocently, stretching out her legs and watching the adults arrange Tables and chairs all around the garden. Today was yet another Holmes family gathering and Christabel loathed those with a passion. She sighed dramatically and flopped forwards to help Sherlock examine the beetle.

"I told you to call me Mycroft, my middle name. Cedric is such a normal name and we are by far the opposite. Sherlock expects you to do the same." he corrected, placing a gentle hand on her head and he crouched to his siblings' level. "Sister my dear, if Mummy says you must wear it then it has to be that way. She doesn't wish her children to look as though we were raised on the streets."

He looked disapprovingly at his little brother who returned the look knowingly and put away his little experiment away promptly. Mycroft was six years older than Christabel, who was only a year older than Sherlock. When Mummy and Daddy were busy he had to take it upon himself to take care of the younger two and stop them from getting into trouble. He smirked coyly and kissed his sister on the head and chuckled at her disgusted glare. She pulled away from his touch and pressed her lips together in false annoyance that she could not keep up.

"My-croft." She tested, trying to grow used to the name on her tongue. "Mycroft. She expects us to mingle with other children. How will Willia - I mean Sherlock and I survive?"

Her older brother rose and looked over his shoulder - seeing a bumbling man carry an oversized suitcase and greeting Mummy and Daddy with a handshake. Sherlock joined him and squinted his eyes, ashamed that he could not deduce who the man was like Mycroft probably could.

"Who is that man, brother dear?" He asked, ruffling his hair and brushing off flecks of grass from his trousers. Christabel, moved towards her little brother and stood next to him, almost smirking but still curious all the same.

"Look carefully Sherlock, Christabel. What is usual about him?" He replied, nodding towards another man that has strode into the garden. From the angle it was hard to tell what was going on but Sherlock could see that he was carrying an animal cage containing white rabbits. The other man with the suitcase was wearing a top hat that seemed far too grand for this occasion and his gloves were white. In his pockets Sherlock could see the corner of a florescent lime green handkerchief protruding slightly and suddenly everything seemed to add up. He clapped his hands together and looked at his sister triumphantly as though asking her permission to answer.

"Go on, I know you like showing off." She grinned, subconsciously brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Children's magician." He concluded, smiling proudly to himself and looking up at Mycroft, seeking approval which he received a hair ruffle. The older sibling stood in front of the younger two and looked down on them with a hint of affection in his eyes. He clasped his hands together in front of him after straightening his tie and checking the time on his pocket watch.

"A good deduction Sherlock. What about you Christabel, what may we deduce about, perhaps, the gardener over there? Newly hired today for the occasion." He asked in an attempt to stop Sherlock's ability from belittling her own. The girl took three steps forward and looked at him for almost a minute, trying to take in all the information she could.

"I've already figured it out." Sherlock whined, moving about restlessly. Christabel paid no attention while Mycroft silenced him with a cold glare, far different from the affection his showed before.

"Don't be smart Sherlock, I'm the smart one. - " He was cut off by his mother calling out accross the garden.

"Cedric, come here for a moment dear!"

Christabel seemed deflated when she knew she could not have her chance to impress her brother. Mycroft stroked her head reassuringly and started to pace towards where his mother was sitting.

"Do not be sad Christabel, perhaps you can tell me later today." He reassured.

"Okay." The girl smiled, watching him nod and walk away leaving her and Sherlock behind. She flopped unceremoniously on the ground again and lay on her back to watch the clouds. Sherlock joined her a moment later a winced slightly as the sun shone into his eyes - he held a hand protectively over his face to skew his vision and shade his eyes. They lay there in silence for only minutes before Christabel spoke again.

"Sherlock those other children are so dull! Mummy thinks a magician will be enough to keeps us amused." She huffed, turning to lie on her stomach. Sherlock lay on his side and watched her pick at the grass to make daisy chains. He thought for a moment, looking down before taking in a breath of air.

"She probably wishes for us to make friends."

Christabel snorted. "Ha, friends. What good will they do?"

"Lord knows." He noticed other children making their way towards the picnic blanket - Cousins from the north. Tailing behind them was the magician from earlier now carrying a magic wand. The siblings rolled their eyes at how absurd the view was. They both sat up and crossed their legs as he placed his case down and tapped the wand against the surface three times. "Into battle." He murmured through a fake smile.

"Into battle" His sister echoed.

* * *

**Thank you Mairead - It wont let me post her username D: The author of "The Family business" and "The game changer" :)**

**She gave me so much help and motivation to write this and I appreciate it more than anything.**

**This Chapter may be edited in the future but here it is for now!**


	3. part 2

Hours later the once calm and composed man that was Mycroft Holmes, now became a hurricane ready to destroy everything in his path. He was humiliated beyond belief and wanted nothing more than to give his sister what was coming to her.

"Christabel for God's sake how could you be so immature?" He yelled as he stormed into the sitting room. She was huddled under a blanket clad in her nightgown next to Mummy while Sherlock was curled up with Redbeard. The dog affectionately nuzzled his face and comforted the frightened child. He knew that his sisters actions would lead to this and he dreaded what would happen next.

"I didn't know it would be that bad!" She argued, leaning in closer to her mother to protect herself from Mycroft's dreadful temper. He leaned in and pulled the blanket off of the child causing Mummy to wrap an arm protectively around her daughter.

"Your deductions about Madame Fairfax's adulterous husband may cost me my university education. She was mortified." His anger slowly dissolved into distress, slowly becoming more uncomfortable to watch. His face reddened and his fingers shook violently.

"Mycroft! She is just a child!" Their mother countered, standing up to block the boy's view from Christabel. "And Your sister."

"She is no sister of mine." He seethed, letting air escape through his nose to regulate his breathing. Sherlock looked up at his brother confused at his statement. Christabel felt her lip tremble but she could not let her family see her cry - she wanted to be brave, she wanted to be a good role model for Sherlock. Without giving anybody time to stop her she clambered off of the sofa and left the room.

"We know you don't mean that Mycroft." A voice spoke. Siger Holmes who had been reclining in the armchair next to Sherlock the whole time kept his gazed fixed on the dancing flames. He placed his palms together thoughtfully and leaned forward, grabbing a small glass of Scotch and taking a sip. "Come sit by the fire and calm yourself - Then I want you to check on her yourself and apologise."

"Very well father.." He whispered, almost ashamed at himself for his outburst. He reached out to grab a glass - looking to his mother for permission. "May I?"

"Just this once dear, then you really must talk to your sister."

Mycroft feigned a smile and filled a glass with the beverage, slumping into the far left of the couch and attempting to drink his sorrows away even if only a little. Sherlock yawned and stroked a sleeping Redbeard's fur gently. Mummy leaned down tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention.

"Time for bed little man." She whispered and he removed himself from the floor, he nodded and sleepily rubbed his eyes before hugging his mother tenderly. For a child that had problems with social interaction he really did love his parents. Although he would never admit it, he loved his brother also. Christabel was the closest thing to a friend he would ever imagine himself having. He shook Redbeard with his small hands, carefully rousing the animal from his peaceful slumber and coaxed him into following behind. Sherlock slowly left the room to go to bed, taking one more look at his parents.

"Goodnight." He murmured.

"Goodnight son." Siger called out to him before returning to his thoughts. Mycroft continued to drink the Scotch in front of him absent-mindedly - it was hard to detect what he was currently thinking about. His mother was ready to comfort him when barking could be heard from upstairs and Sherlock calling desperately over the banister.

"Mummy! Come quick!"

The older Holmes relatives stopped everything they were doing and rushed into the hall at once - having never heard Sherlock so distraught before. it had to be something terrible for him to be scared. Mycroft ran to his side and held him by his shoulders, looking into his eyes to try and read him.

"What is it, tell me what has happened Sherlock?" He demanded as his voice rose. His parents came into view and all gave him the same questionable look.

"Christabel - She is gone. Her window is open and she is nowhere to be seen." He uttered - face white as a sheet. Violet and Siger continued up the stairs and into the room that belonged to their only daughter. Mycroft and Sherlock padded behind briskly with many thoughts running through their minds. They both knew Christabel was an adventurer but she had never vanished before. In the bedroom the curtains were blowing wildly and the window was open just as Sherlock had said. The gap was big enough to fit a small child through but she was nowhere to be seen outside on the lawn. Siger took his wife by the hand and tried to get his words out over the sudden panic.

"Violet..

"She's eleven years old Siger.."

"Call the police."

"She isn't safe out there.."

"Now Violet!"

She nodded wordlessly and bustled out of the room with the others in pursuit.

"The sooner we have somebody looking for her, the better. Ced- Mycroft I want you to stay with Sherlock - I am going out to look for her."

"She could just be hiding in the house somewhere.." Violet said from the landing in her attempt to stay calm - however Mycroft shook his head.

"No, if she were here she would have come at the first signs of panic."

He sighed and watched his mother's face crumple before she descended the stairwell to phone the police. Their father was already slipping his jacket on and unlocking the front door. Sherlock moved before his brother and glared at him with hatred etched on his face. He kicked his brother harshly in the shin before grabbing his shirt tails with a tear in his eye.

"This is all your fault!" He screamed as he tried to hit the man in front of him, fighting against his strength. "If you hadn't have said that to her she would still be here!"

Mycroft tried to protest but he knew Sherlock would never listen to a word that came out of his mouth any more. He let his brother walk away and into the comforting warmth of Red beard waiting for him on his bed in the room opposite.

"I hate you.."

* * *

Mycroft Often thought about his sister and what would have happened if his anger hadn't been so volatile back then. He had blamed himself for the entire situation, it was the one mistake he would always admit to and the one that let to his dehumanisation. Sherlock had never forgiven him and had loathed him ever since - His sister had vanished without a trace and he feared that he would never know what had happened to her all those years ago. His emotions seemed to have become more guarded over time and Mycroft had become a shell of what he once was. He told himself frequently that caring was not an advantage and knew that he could never allow himself to become so careless with his words again. He sighed and felt his mobile phone vibrate in his pocket:

**I know it was you - Should I be thanking you or be calling you an idiot? - SH**

He could not help but smirk at that single text. He wondered how frequently his brother thought of Christabel - or if John Watson knew about the tragic event that shook them both and destroyed their bond forever. Her name had not been spoken aloud by either one of them for over twenty years and it seemed that it would stay that way for the rest of their lives.

Little did he know that would change in the very near future.

* * *

**A.N - Longer Chapters to come! **

**To Clarify - Mycroft's first name being Cedric is another one of my head canons. I felt it fit in with the idea of Sherlock also having a normal first name. More will be revealed on that in due course. Bare with me though - I'm officially off Hiatus now for my other fanfic so updates will depend on how popular this fic becomes and how much of the other one I get done. Thank you for reading. :)**


	4. Part 3

"_How do you know it was Mycroft?" _John enquired as a shaking Mrs Hudson poured the group several cups of tea. Sherlock slipped off his Belstaff coat and unwrapped the scarf from his neck, sighing heavily and checking for texts on his phone. Mycroft still had not replied - he hadn't expected him to in all honesty. The fat git was probably already devising a cover up theory to hide his actions from people of a higher power than him. Mrs Hudson rattled the spoon against the china as she attempted to stir a cup of tea. Despite knowing that Moriarty's return was in fact a hoax she was still rather shaken from it all. It was still reasonably early in the day but even Sherlock Holmes felt lethargic after everything that had happened. John sat on the couch at the back of the room with Mary who had her hand placed protectively over her bump.

"_I saw Moriarty die - Only one other person has the power to do what has just happened." _Sherlock didn't seem to be all there, he was in deep thought again and John's brows furrowed in concern. He clutched Mary's hand gently and sipped his cup of tea slowly.

"_Why would Mycroft do that?" _ He asked after a few moments silence.

"_Mrs Hudson do take a seat and relax. I can hear you thinking from over here." _ Sherlock spoke, ignoring Johns question purposefully. He did not want to be forced to divulge into facts that he had pushed so far into the back of his mind. The elderly woman shuffled accross the room and sat herself down into John's armchair. The detective felt the need to stand by her side and place a gentle hand on her shoulder. Considering he claimed to be a socio-path he really did care for those close to him.

"_Sherlock." _ John said firmly when he did not receive an answer to his question. Sherlock closed his eyes with a pained expression on his face. Mary noticed this and squeezed her husband's hand firmly.

"_We should be thankful that Sherlock is staying, love." _ She said through a false smile. Sherlock gave her an appreciative look and unbuttoned his jacket before crossing the room to sit his own arm chair. It was then that his phone vibrated in his pocket and he knew almost straight away who it was. He pulled the device out and checked the text message - frowning slightly as he did so. _  
_

**Camden Lock Market. Be there tonight -  
****there is something you must investigate.  
**

**MH**

"_What is it dear?" _Mrs Hudson asked, her eyes full of concern.

"_My brother wants me to go to Camden Market this evening." _ He answered whilst still racking his brain in an attempt to figure out what exactly it was he should be seeing. "_He tells me there is something to investigate." _

_"Like what?" _ John question, chewing on his bottom lip nervously. Sherlock shook his head and pocketed his phone as he stood, buttoning his jacket again and kissing Mrs Hudson on the top of her head before holding her hand for a moment.

"_I don't know. Mycroft could have anything planned." _ He finally said in a clipped tone. His attention fell upon Mrs Hudson who looked as traumatised as before - clearly still disturbed from seeing Moriarty's face. "_Stay safe - Please."_

The old woman understood and held Sherlock's hand against her cheek before letting go. It was their silent agreement to protect themselves from any danger out there. She was like a second mother to him and would never let any harm come her way if he could help it. Mary lifted herself from the couch with John's help whilst cursing under her breath about being "Too pregnant for this."

John chuckled and stuffed his hands inside his pockets, everybody was still feeling rather miserable from earlier and the tension could be cut with a knife. The doctor watched his best friend slip on his jacket and wrap his scarf around his neck.

"_Sherlock, will you need me?" _ He asked innocently, reaching out for his jacket that had been discarded on the arm of the couch he had been sitting on.

"_I...Don't know." _ Sherlock answered truthfully. _  
_

"_I'm coming with you, the both of you. I can take care of myself perfectly fine if the situation calls for it - we all know that." _Mary chimed, feeling slightly guilty for alluding to a situation that John was still sensitive about. He visibly tensed but was able to control his annoyance. The mobile phone make yet another noise causing John's focus to land elsewhere. Mary breathed a sigh of relief and was off the hook for now.

"_There's no danger - if there was I would know." _ Sherlock assured, checking his phone one last time to see what else Mycroft wanted.

**It's Christabel. MH**

"_ - Definitely no danger.." _ The detective trailed off when he saw that name. He wished he could have deleted that memory - it would stop the human part of him from returning after so long. His older sister was one of his greatest pressure points Magnussen was unable to discover. If he had known of her he must have not found her important enough to use as ammunition. Sherlock had hoped to forget what happened years ago but even the sheer sight of that text made his stomach turn. He frowned and his eyes were vacant, John noticed and took one step closer. It was like him asking Sherlock to be his best man all over again with the way he was acting, however the circumstances were far more different now.

_"You okay?" _He asked, reaching out towards the phone to read the incriminating message.

"_Fine." _ Sherlock answered, snatching his hand away before John could see. He turned on his heel and make his way to the landing.

"_Do you want me to -"_

_"I'm going alone." _The detective cut him off before striding out of the flat. His friend couldn't comprehend what had just happened, Sherlock rarely ever acted like this and considering the circumstances, it was still odd for him to leave like that.

_"What was that about dear?" _Mrs Hudson uttered, leaning further into the back of the arm chair in an attempt to disappear from the world. John shook his head and wrapped his jacket around his torso, zipping it up as far as it could go.

"_Who knows? It's Sherlock" _He replied turning to Mary as though searching for an answer on what they should do next. Her eyes met his for a moment and squinted in deep thought - It was her attempt to answer his unspoken question. They were weary - also dark from sleep deprivation and worry - it caused John to feel slightly guilty for shutting her out after he had discovered the truth. The woman really was trying hard to right her wrongs and start a new life, despite shooting her husband's best friend. She squeezed her eyes shut and held her palm up against her forehead, brushing a stray lock of hair away that had fallen from behind her ear.

_"We go to Camden, that's for sure." _She finally said earning a sceptical look from her husband.

"_And if he sees us?" _ He asked, grasping her hands affectionately as his voice grew tired and stressed.

"_We will work that one out later. He is your best friend love, knowing Sherlock he will need someone to keep him out of trouble." _ She whispered, smiling gently when she felt his hands graze tenderly against her aching head. "_Besides, what is John Watson without the danger?" _

A smile teased at John's lips when she said that. He leaned in and kissed her forehead slowly, only hoping that they were going to do the right thing.

* * *

**A.N - I apologise for delays, thank you for those who have stuck with me and given me good reviews! Other life issues seem to be getting in the way of getting this written but hopefully things will be getting better now. **


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